Like a Phoenix
by WindStar72
Summary: Poland is always the one being targeted. He always is the one suffering through the worst of times and he always seems to pull through in the end. But when this tragic accident occurs that devestates his country, how will he make it though this one?
1. Chapter 1

**Like a Phoenix**

**Chapter 1**

"I am so totally like, exhausted, Liet!" Poland sighed as he collapsed onto the closest couch he could find.

"How did it go?" Lithuania asked, glancing up at the Pole from the newspaper he was reading.

"Not that good. The tensions are like, up through the freaking roof!" Poland exclaimed, putting his hand onto his forehead. Lithuania chuckled a bit and continued to read his newspaper.

"Well you should expect that from Russia, Poland."

"I like, know that! It's just, I'm trying to like, keep a peaceful relationship with our like, countries, to the max." Poland explained, annoyed. He then sat up and glanced at the old-fashion clock on the tan-painted walls of Lithuania's house. Poland let out an annoyed grunt and stood up. Lithuania set down the newspaper and looked over at Poland.

"Leaving so soon?" he questioned.

"Well I totally like, have another agonizing meeting with him, to the max. So I'm totally like, gonna head home and like, get some beauty sleep." Poland explained as he headed towards Lithuania's front door. Lithuania stood up from his arm chair and followed his friend towards the door. Poland stepped out onto the porch and started to walk down the side walk.

"Hey, Poland?" Lithuania called from the frame of his front door.

"Yeah?" replied the Pole turning around.

"Be careful, okay? You know how Russia can get. Just…Just look out for yourself, alright?" Lithuania asked. Poland looked and saw the concern and worry on his friend's face. Something he hadn't seen since the Soviet Union times.

"You worry too much, Liet!" Poland laughed, waving a hand in the air. "Don't worry. I'll be fine." And with that being said, Poland walked down the cold, gray sidewalk back towards his house.

**. . . **

"All I'm saying, Poland, is that wasn't a very smart move on your behalf." Russia explained; a calm smile folded from his mouth.

"I totally know what I'm like, doing Russia!" Poland snapped. He was right. This was terribly agonizing since it was only him and Russia together in the room. Poland really wished Lithuania was there to at least to give him support but he didn't want to trouble him and he wasn't involved with the situation at hand. Poland stared deeply into Russia's menacing purple eyes. Those eyes. Oh how he had remember that shade of purple. Some memories can't be erased like others can.

"So allowing America to put missile bases in your county is a good thing?" Russia sneered.

"We are both like, trying to prevent total nuclear warfare!" defended Poland. Russia sighed and then stared at the angry Pole.

"That was a grave mistake, Poland. Keeping U.S. missiles in your country won't prevent war. Oh no. It will only cause other countries to be pointing their nuclear weapons in your direction. That includes my country as well." Russia spread out one of his creep-ass smiles that Poland knew way too well. Poland remained quiet, taking in everything Russia had said. Was Russia really going to attack him again? And other countries as well? No, remember what America had said. He said that this would help prevent the chances of a nuclear war. America was his ally and he trusted him. Russia was not Poland's ally and would never be. So why should he trust him? For all Poland knew, Russia could be lying to him.

"What's the matter? Oh, how do you say it? Cat got your tongue?" Russia cheerfully remarked. Poland got shivers down his spine as if somebody had slide an ice cube down his back.

"I-I totally like, think this meeting is like, done." Poland said standing up from the chair he was sitting in. Russia had done the same and he started to walk out the door of the conference room. Before he left though, he turned and looked at Poland and called out,

"Remember what I have told you. I will have no pity if your country perishes by my hands or by anybody else's. I suggest you make your move soon. You have been warned, partitioned nation."

Poland watched, wide-eyed, as Russia had left the conference room. His body started to shake, but he ended up controlling it. Anger started to swell up inside of him and his face started to burn. "D-D-Damn it!" he yelled as he slammed his tightly bound fist into the conference's polished table.

**. . . **

"So how did it go this time?" Lithuania asked Poland through his black cell phone. "…Hey, Liet. Do you like, wanna totally go shopping with me, like to the max?" Poland asked from the other line.

Lithuania sighed. "That bad, huh. Alright, I'm coming over to your place now."

"Yaaay! Thanks Liet!" Poland cheered in Lithuania's ear. Poland then hung up the phone and so did Lithuania. Whenever Poland doesn't answer his question and brings up shopping, it means that things did not turn out well. Usually Poland, being upset by whatever it is, will go splurge when he goes shopping to try and not thing about it. Lithuania, when asked by Poland to go shopping with him, usually will say yes even if he doesn't want to go. But he still goes so he can hear what Poland is troubled with. He's been considerably lucky during this new century. The Soviet Union times were horrific, dark times that nobody there will ever forget. But now a day, his country has been doing great and has had nothing bad happen. But, he only wished he could say the same for Poland.

Poland always had to get stuck with all the trouble, and always is the one getting targeted. Lithuania wished that things could get better for his friend, but whenever it seems like good sailing for Poland; the ship always gets hit by an opposing current that retracts its progress. Lithuania, even though he had it horrible during World War II, knew for a fact that Poland had it worse than himself by far. How Poland had lived and survived those battles and those god awful concentration camps, Lithuania would never know. But no matter how goofy Poland could be, a bright determined lit flame blazed in Poland's heart. And Lithuania admired this most about him.

Lithuania reached Poland's pink-painted house and knocked on the old oak doors. Poland answered with a half-grin plastered on his face.

"Took ya long enough, Liet."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Lithuania sighed. "Just be glad I even came."

"Okay. What are we like, waiting for?! Well let's totally like, go to the mall!" Poland exclaimed, grabbing his car keys.

"Alright." Lithuania agreed following the Pole out towards his hot pink car.


	2. Chapter 2

**Like a Phoenix**

**Chapter 2**

Lithuania understood exactly what had happened during that meeting. Russia is targeting Poland (once again) just because he's hosting missiles for America. It wasn't fair. Why does Poland have to suffer through everything? And whenever he does suffer, he's all alone.

Lithuania walked through his front door, after getting back from Poland's little, "shopping spree". While searching in the skirt rack, Poland had told him what happened during him and Russia's meeting. He doesn't really know what to do but he trusts America's judgment. That's all he can do.

He crept up the stairs and walked into his bedroom. Lithuania undressed and slipped into his bed. He then did something he never does. He prayed. He prayed for Poland and wished for everything bad happening to him would end so he wouldn't have to suffer any longer. Lithuania then dozed off into a peaceful slumber. He will never realize that his prayer will go unanswered.

**. . . **

"Wait. Like, what are you like, proposing?"

Months had passed since the meeting with Russia and Poland. After that meeting, tensions soared like a bird taking off for a flight. It wasn't only Russia causing these tensions either. Other countries were responsible as well, but Russia had been by far the worse.

"I'm proposing, well, more like my boss is proposing that we remove our missile bases from your country." America remarked, fiddling with his thumbs, avoiding the gaze of the Pole.

America had recently gotten a new boss in his country. The old boss convinced him and Poland that putting missiles in Poland's country would help prevent a nuclear war. But after Poland had confronted him about the threats Russia and other countries were giving him, America realized how wrong his old boss's actions were. The Pole had looked at him with sheer worry on his face. America at that point had to lie right to his ally's face. He couldn't let Poland realize his own mistake. That was not a very heroic action on his part.

"Wait, like, hold the phone. What!?" Poland asked confused, his bright green eyes staring at the American sitting across from him.

America, who had slipped into his memories of him and Poland's earlier conversation, snapped back into focus on the situation on hand and replied awkwardly, "Well, my new boss wants to remove the weapons."

"Well if he like, wants to remove them now, then why did he like totally have them there in the first place?!" Poland shouted obviously upset.

"Like I said, I got a new boss now and he doesn't like the ways my old boss acted. He's trying to make up for the old bosses actions. This is just one of the things he wants to correct." America clarified as a knot formed in his stomach.

Poland sighed and rested his head in his hands. He suddenly did something that startled America. Poland had started to laugh.

"Well then everything totally like, works out then! If the missiles get like, removed, then Russia would totally like, leave me alone."

"Poland…" America said distinctly. He had expected Poland to get mad and yell at him but he didn't. But what had surprised America the most was what Poland said next.

"Thank you, America. Thanks for like, worrying about me. It means a lot that you totally like, care."

Stunned, America sat in his chair and stared at the Pole. He had no idea how to respond to that. The words he wanted to say could not find a way to escape his lips.

**. . . **

Now a days, things have been more peaceful in Western Europe, along with the United States. In recent news, America and Russia had signed a treaty to reduce the amount of nuclear weapons each other could have. Poland had remembered that day, because after they signed the treaty, Russia came over and visited Poland's pink-painted house. Russia had been there not to apologize. Oh no. He had been there to tell him that he made the right choice with America to remove the missiles. Russia had said that if they waited any longer, he would have attacked.

Poland, glad that the tensions were gone for the most part, finally started to relax. He even got out his most favorite nail polish to celebrate the peaceful occasion. As he started painting his nails pink, his cell phone started to ring. Poland answered it, careful not to mess up his freshly colored nails.

"Hello?"

"Hey Feliks. I just called to remind you of my upcoming trip to Russia." His boss stated from the other line. "I know you remember what the occasion is."

Of course he remembered it. He could remember the whole thing as if it had just happened yesterday. It was up in his top ten list on how horrible it had been. The Russians had forced many Polish men into work camps in Russia to work and then be killed. Most of the Poles who were sent there were soldiers and were captured by the Russians. Poland had remembered those nights so clearly that he still had nightmares about them. He was one of the lucky ones who had escaped from that camp. American forces had discovered the work camp and saved only a few of the soldiers there, including Poland. It has been 70 years since that time. And it was the 70th anniversary for the tortured souls in that land where the camp had once been. Poland's boss and important head figures of the government and military were planning on paying their respects to the lost Polish souls there. So they were going to fly out to Russia in a couple of weeks.

"Yeah, I totally remember." Poland sullenly replied, staring out his window at the rain starting to pour outside.

"Alright. Well I'll call you again before I leave." His boss announced.

"'kay," was the only response Poland could say before his boss shut his phone closed.

**. . . **

Lithuania groggily opened up his door only to face his overly cheerful friend.

"Hey, Liet! What is like, up, to the max?!"

"Poland, it's past midnight. What do you want at this hour?" Lithuania yawned.

"I wanna like, spend the night!" Poland replied, sticking his tongue out as he pushed his way into Lithuania's house.

"Hey you…whatever. You can sleep on the couch or something." Lithuania tiredly responded, motioning to the green couch in the living room. Lithuania started to drag himself back down the hall where his soft, warm, comfortable bed was calling for him. As he started half-walking, half-dragging himself down the hall, Poland called out from somewhere behind him.

"Where are you going, Liet?! I totally thought that we could like, paint our nails together!"

"Inthemorning…." Lithuania managed to mumble. He reached his bed and crawled in under the comfortable covers. He almost instantly fell asleep.

"OH MAH GAWD!"

Lithuania immediately woke up to the yelling and blaring of the fire alarm going off. He panicked and ran into where somebody was screaming. He scrambled into the kitchen to see Poland covered in some kind of batter along with the rest of the kitchen, and a brightly lit fire on the kitchen's stove top.

Reacting upon instinct, Lithuania ran over and grabbed his fire extinguisher. The fire alarm triggered the sprinklers in the house and they all started to spill out water everywhere. The fire in the kitchen was still there and Poland started yelling as he slipped and slid all over the now slick batter, thanks to the sprinklers. Lithuania rushed back into the kitchen and sprayed the fire with the fire extinguisher. He also spurted the white foam on Poland just in case he somehow caught on fire.

**. . . **

"Hey! You totally didn't have to like, spray me!" Poland exclaimed in the now calm kitchen, covered in cooking batter and white foam.

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOING IN HERE?!" Lithuania shouted. Poland flinched and quickly averted his eyes away from him.

"I-I was just like, trying to cook breakfast and--" Poland stuttered.

"Get out. Get out of my house right now, Poland." Lithuania angrily replied, cutting off Poland's sentence.

"But can't I totally like, take a shower? I'm filthy."

"OUT. NOW."

Lithuania held the front door open and glared at Poland. Poland shuffled towards the door and stared at Lithuania before he left.

"Liet…I…."

"GET OUT!" Lithuania screamed, shoving the Pole so hard out of his house that he fell over onto the sidewalk. Lithuania then slammed the door and locked it. Poland simply stared in disbelief. He had never seen Liet get that angry at him before. Something told him that trying to make Liet breakfast wasn't his best plan in the world.

**A/N: HAHAHA. The last part was fun to write. Oh mah gawd. If that happened to my house I would be so freaking pissed. But yeah. Okay, well the more serious stuff starts to happen in the next chapter. Thanks for reading I guess. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Like a Phoenix**

**Chapter 3**

Poland must have left about 50 bazillion messages on Lithuania's phone. Lithuania hadn't called him back so Poland just figured that he either turned off his phone or just didn't check his phone.

"How was I like, supposed to know his stove would totally catch on fire! It's not my fault I totally wanted to like, make him a nice meal. He always seems so like, stressed out all the time, like to the max."

Aggravated, Poland stomped through his living room and went outside onto his back deck. He sat down and his porch swing and stared up at the dark sky. A deep-colored gray covered up the entire sky and the distant (yet seemingly close), rumbling noises pounded their way into Poland's ear drums.

**. . . **

Lithuania must have spent countless of hours by himself cleaning up after Poland's chaos. Lithuania was still steaming mad. You could probably break an egg on him and it would be cooked for you to eat. He refused to talk to Poland and even purposefully misplaced his phone to ignore Poland's constant calling. As he persisted on cleaning his kitchen, the doorbell rang throughout the empty house. Lithuania dropped his cleaning utensils and started to walk towards his front door.

Estonia must have arrived was Lithuania's initial thought. Lithuania had told him all about Poland's fiasco and Estonia had offered to help clean his house. Lithuania was truly grateful and he still has to figure a way to pay Estonia back. He unbolted the door and was shocked to not see Estonia standing there. Instead, Lithuania gazed upon a completely drenched Poland.

"Liet…"

Lithuania had slammed the door right in the face of the friend and started to storm off. He quickly stopped when he heard a loud 'thud' come from behind him followed by Poland's voice.

"I need to tell you this, Liet. I totally had nobody else to tell. I-I have a really bad feeling. It's like, the same kind of feeling I had right before Germany and Russia invaded…."

Lithuania had frozen in his spot. He has _that_ feeling again?! He quickly forgot the reason why he was so upset with Poland and turned around to reopen the door. Lithuania opened the door surprised to find no one there. He swiftly glanced around through the pouring rain, to try and find out where his distraught friend had disappeared. Lithuania had finally spotted him far down the sidewalk headed back towards his house.

"Poland!" he exclaimed. Poland must not have heard him because he kept walking further away. "POLAND!" Thunder exploded in the dead, dark sky silencing all of Lithuania's shouts. Lithuania, not caring if he got drenched or not, ran out into the storm after Poland in an attempt to try and catch up to him. The cold rain smacked hard on his face as he ran faster and faster.

Nowhere. Poland had simply disappeared from Lithuania's view. He quickly decided to run towards Poland's house considering that's probably where he was headed. He wasn't going to lose his friend. Not ever again. Lithuania had remembered the first time Poland had disappeared. When he had gone over to visit him, Poland's front door was wide open and inside were Prussia, Austria, and Russia going through Poland's belongings. Lithuania had frantically asked what had happened to Poland, and Prussia only laughed to tell him that Poland would no longer be around in the world. That had absolutely devastated Lithuania.

Panting as he reached Poland's pink house, he hastily knocked onto the wooden door. No answer. Lightning suddenly shot out in the dark sky lighting up the earth's surface for a split second and was immediately followed by bellowing thunder claps. Lithuania seriously hoped that Poland wasn't still in this horrid thunderstorm. He grasped at the doorknob and turned it. The door swung open and Lithuania stepped into Poland's house sopping wet.

"Poland? POLAND?!"

There was no answer. Poland wasn't home. Lithuania collapsed onto the hardwood floor and slammed his fist onto the wooded floor.

**. . . **

Okay so he messed up. He messed up big. But he had to tell him. Even if he hated his guts, he had to tell Liet what he was feeling. Especially if it was _that_ feeling. Poland sat in his boss's home (which was fairly close to his own) and waited for his boss to get off the phone. He just couldn't believe Lithuania shut the door on him. If Liet was that upset then yeah, he totally messed up.

"Sorry for the wait, Feliks. So where were we?" His boss asked, after hanging up the phone.

"We were totally like, talking about your trip to Russia, boss." Poland responded.

"Ah yes. That's right. So, are you planning to attend the memorial service with us?" Poland's boss inquired, intently staring at the nation.

"I totally didn't like, plan on it. Considering that—well it might be painful. And I totally don't like, know." Poland honestly answered. The right thing to do would be going with his boss to pay respect to the lost Polish souls. But could he really do that? Would he be able to repress his gruesome nightmares of that cursed place? He wasn't sure. That's why he needed Liet. Lithuania would always give him advice on what to do and that would help him make a decision.

"Oh okay. Well do whatever you feel is right. We'll be leaving in three days though. And remember. We have one seat open on the plane. Just in case." His boss indicated.

"Alright, thanks." Poland thanked as he stood up from the chair. Poland's boss escorted the Pole to the door and he departed from the house.

**. . .**

Poland rested on a bench in the middle of the shopping mall. Tomorrow was the day that everybody was going to Russia. Poland still didn't know if he wanted to go or not. So to take his mind off of things, he went shopping. As he lay on the bench, he watched everybody walk back and forth throughout the mall. _That_ feeling had gotten worse over these last couple of days. It formed knots in his stomach and gave him headaches. What could be the reason for _that _feeling? Poland had no idea but he knew wasn't good.

"OH EM GEE! Heeey!... Did you hear about the sale?!... OMG!... You didn't?!... It's at Forever 21!!...Well get your butt down there missy!...Yeah I'll meet you there!!" A young teenage girl exclaimed into her cell phone. She was walking past where Poland was sitting and he overheard her conversation. After she had hung up, she started to hurriedly walk to the sale that she mentioned.

"OMG…there's like, a sale at Forever 21?! Why wasn't I like, totally informed about this like, to the max?!" Poland said to no one in particular. He quickly got up, grabbed his bags, and started sprinting down the mall aisles, weaving through unsuspecting passerbies.

**. . .**

Lithuania had visited Poland's house for the past three days and he hadn't been home. This made him worry. What if something bad had happened? What if someone invaded him again? What if someone launched a nuclear strike against him!? Whoa…now he was getting too far ahead of himself. Lithuania really wished that he listened to Poland instead of being irrational and shutting the door on him. Lithuania would have tried calling Poland, but when he purposefully hid his phone to try and ignore Poland's calls, he ended up forgetting where he hid it.

Lithuania sighed and walked around the inside of Poland's house examining everything he passed. It was so different now from the way they had it before. Poland and Lithuania used to live together in Poland's house during the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. They would always go out and harvest the fields of wheat in the back of Poland's yard and even step out of battle just to go water the darn things.

Something caught Lithuania's eye and he grabbed it off one of Poland's shelves. It was a photograph of them together during that time. Lithuania was carrying a basket full of harvested wheat and Poland was asleep on a hay bale right next to him. He remembered this picture well, for he had the exact same one too. Lithuania, getting caught up by all the memories he shared with Poland, started to feel his eyes tear up. He quickly let out a small sob and wiped off his eyes with his sleeve. Oh how he wished he could go back to those carefree days with his best friend.

**A/N: O.M.G. the little ending part is so cheesy.**** So what'd ya think of this chapter? Good? Bad, Eh…? **


	4. Chapter 4

**Like a Phoenix**

**Chapter 4**

Poland's head began to throb as he watched out the large glass window of the airport's gate C26's waiting area. He watched as his President (otherwise known as his boss) walked outside and into the aircraft that would soon be flying towards the largest country in the world. Poland had decided to stay and not go onto the flight. He has been feeling under the weather for a while now and going to visit that painful place would just make things worse so he would be staying. One after another, following the President's example, Poland's head military leaders boarded the airplane and so did major heads of the Government.

After about a half an hour of waiting, the airplane started its engine and headed off towards the long, seemingly endless, runway. Poland watched silently from inside as the aircraft accelerated and departed from the earth. He sighed after it took off and removed his now sweaty hands off the once clean glass. Poland wondered what he was going to do now. And why wouldn't _that_ feeling go away?!

"I'm totally like, going to the mall." He mumbled to himself.

**. . . **

He must have been there for about two hours now. Nothing. Nada zilch. Standing in front of the skirt rack, Poland angrily sighed. There were no good skirts to buy. Today was not his day. His headache soon had become a migraine, his stomach was like a circus with people shooting out of those cannons, and what's worse, he started coughing up blood.

**. . . **

Lithuania tried to quicken his pace. He quickly scanned through each department store looking for his blonde-haired friend. Lithuania had gone to 'the totally like, fabulous, bestest, like, mall in the whole entire freaking world, like to the max', according to Poland. Lithuania really needed to see if Poland was alright. Poland's words about _that_ feeling lingered in Lithuania's head for days. He just had to find Poland. But where was he in this stupid mall?! It's at least three stories!

He decided to take a break from his three hours of searching. He sat down on a bench and stared up at a sign that displayed the date from the Coca Cola Company. April 10, 2010. How was he going to find Poland? This was way too hard. Lithuania wished he had the Britannia

Angel there with him so that he maybe could use his magic to bring Poland to him. It would seem that the angel did hear his plea because after Lithuania wished that, he saw a blonde-haired guy run past him.

"Was that…Poland?!" Lithuania exclaimed jumping up from the bench he was sitting at. He quickly began to pursue what he was most likely sure was his friend, whom he had been searching for the entire time. Lithuania had ran out of the mall and saw the blonde sprinting down the sidewalk, who seemed to be running aimlessly. He was most certain that this was Poland. He began to run down the sidewalk after him.

**. . . **

Faster. Run faster. What's happening. Blood. Why. These were the words flying through Poland's head and ringing in his ears. People in the mall had noticed Poland coughing up blood and tried to help him. There were so many people, he had to get away. The pain. Oh the pain. He couldn't take it. He had to run away. Poland had ran out of the mall and was now running in the direction of his house. Or what he thought was the right direction. He couldn't think. The pain. He just kept running as more blood started pouring out of his mouth that had emerged out of his lungs.

**. . . **

Lithuania had shouted Poland's name multiple times now. He didn't respond. He didn't hear him, let alone even turn around. Lithuania, full panic mode setting in, started to run off of his adrenaline.

"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Lithuania immediately stopped running and froze in his tracks. Poland had fallen unexpectedly on the ground of the sidewalk and dropped on his knees. Poland was holding his hands onto his head as if it were to split open any second. Another blood curdling scream was released from Poland's mouth as more blood gush out. Lithuania was parlayed. What's happening?! What---he couldn't think. His friend crumpled onto the ground and started gagging as he grasped onto his blood-covered shirt. What was going on?! Lithuania, horrified as the entire body of his friend started shaking uncontrollable. Poland, screaming and crying horriblely. He had to do something. He couldn't stand to watch any longer.

He tried to move his legs but they felt like cement glued to the pavement. What seemed like eternally to Lithuania had passed away when he made it next to his friend.

"POLAND?! POLAND!? POLAND?! WHAT'S WRONG?!" he shouted, grabbing onto Poland's arm as Poland continued to tremble, scream, cough blood, and cry. Lithuania wasn't aware at the pool of blood forming around the boy and didn't acknowledge where it had even come from. Lithuania panicked. He didn't know what to do or how to help.

"HELP! SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP US!" he shouted in the air. Poland was dying. He needed help. No time left. Phone! Where?! Call 9-1-1. "POLAND!! SOMBODY!! ANYBODY!" There in the blood.

"!!!!"

"POLAND! POLAND!!" Lithuania had tried to hold down Poland from his violent shaking but it wasn't working. Poland kept squirming and screaming out as if he was getting stabbed by a thousand knives. In the blood. It's pink. Grab it. Grab it! Lithuania quickly grabbed Poland's phone out from the blood puddle spreading out from around him. He quickly dialed 9-1-1 and immediately got a hold of one of the operators.

"9-1-1, what's your emergency?" the lady asked in Lithuania's ear.

"MY—MY FRIEND….HE'S…DEAD…DYING!! SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!" He cried out into the phone.

"Sir, calm down. Where is you location?" the lady calmly asked.

"!!!!!"

"POLAND!! OH GOD!! POLAND NO!!"

"I have your location marked and an ambulance is on the way." the lady stated.

**. . . **

The pain. Make it stop. MAKE IT STOP. Blood. Blood that choked his throat making it impossible to breath. Thoughts mashed together. Head exploding. Can't think. The pain. MAKE IT STOP. Screaming. No sound. Silence. The pain. Splitting in two. Chest on fire. Going to die. MAKE IT STOP. The pain. Crying and screaming. Shaking. Death. Knives stabbing his flesh. The pain. Going to die. Heart on fire. Kill him now. Get it over with. MAKE IT STOP. Heart. Blood. Screams. Can't think. MAKE IT STOP. Fire. His heart. The pain. MAKE IT STOP. GET IT OVER WITH. KILL HIM NOW. SET HIM FREE. The pain. Silence. Darkness. No more pain.

**. . . **

Lithuania watched in sheer horror as Poland stopped moving. "P-P-Poland?!" He managed to utter out of his trembling lips. Tears started steaming out of his eyes as Lithuania started screaming. "POLAND! YOU CAN'T DIE. I KNOW YOU'RE STRONGER THAN THIS!! DON'T YOU DARE DIE ON ME NOW!!" Lithuania started sobbing as he threw himself over Poland's seemingly dead body. He could think. His heart ached as he cried even harder. "I-I-I need y-you. You—you c-can't leave m-me!" Lithuania managed to say as he bawled. "What—what w-would I d-do w-without you?! Po-Po-POOOOOLAAAAANDD!!!!!"

**A/N: Okay I am freaking crying my eyes out. This is so F-ing sad! This is the saddest thing I have ever written by far. It was really terrible to write. It's just the sadness of the whole thing. Please, please tell me what you thought of this chapter. I need to know for this one. I need to make sure it sounds about right and what not. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Like a Phoenix**

**Chapter 5**

A million questions rushed though Lithuania's head. What happened? Is Poland dead? Why did this happen? How was he now? Why Poland? Lithuania couldn't quite remember how he ended up in the hospital. He could only recall that after he threw himself across the blood-soaked Pole, there were bright flashing lights and sirens along with the thundering sky. He also remembered that there were other people around. Lithuania couldn't think of what else happened.

Lithuania sat in the emergency waiting room, tense, confused, scared, anxious, depressed. He could barely feel any of these feelings. It felt as if he was numb. Lithuania glanced at the nurse sitting at the front desk. She wasn't moving. Why didn't she come and tell him how Poland was? Or even if he was still alive?! Lithuania rolled his fingers into a tight fit, so tight that his nails dug into his flesh. He didn't feel it though. He gazed up at the television that was on a news channel. Lithuania's world suddenly snapped as he gaped at the television screen.

**. . . **

"Quick! Hand me the scalpel! Damn it, stay with us! Don't you dare die on me!" a doctor shouted as the heart monitor made a steady, long, loud sound.

"Restart the heart! Quickly!" another doctor cried frantically. Many doctors surrounded the blonde-haired Pole, and they all put the electric pads on his chest. One doctor shouted, "ALL CLEAR." A jolt. Nothing. A second jolt. Still nothing. "Third time's a charm!" barked out another doctor in the emergency room. A third jolt. The monitor started to beep to a small, but steady beat.

"Hu-heey!" some doctors cheered. But they started to celebrate a bit too early because all of a sudden, Poland snapped open his eyes and jerked straight up on the operating table. He let out a blood curdling scream as he grasped onto the sides of the table. All the doctors rush to stick needles with anesthetics in him. Poland kept screaming and he started a fit of violent convulses. The doctors were baffled at what was happening before their eyes.

**. . . **

Lithuania's stare was fixed and his mouth hung open for the longest time. He felt a cold sweat run down his back. Did he hear the T.V.'s Breaking News report correctly? His….Poland's president, his boss, was…was dead?! When did this happen? Is that why Poland collapsed?! Oh god, all of the government and military heads too?! This can't be happening... All these questions ran through the Lithuanian's head.

He immediately jumped up from the chair he was sitting in and rushed over to the front desk.

"Let me see Pola—Feliks!" Lithuania stuttered. He had to be careful of saying the countries names around normal people. Well, every country had to be careful of saying each other names aloud in public. If normal people were to figure out who they were, all hell would break loose and possibly World War III. The countries could be kidnapped or abused by people who want absolute power. The only people that knew about them were themselves and their bosses.

"Sir, we cannot allow you to go back there. Go back to your seat." The nurse rudely stated between the chewing her bubble gum from behind the front desk.

Lithuania slammed both of his hands on the desk and shouted, "That's not good enough! You may not realize this lady, but my friend is dying! And if I'm not there, then _.die._ Don't you understand?!"

"_Sir_, we have the _best_ doctors in the world. They'll fix up your _buddy_. Sit back_ down._"

The way the nurse had said that made Lithuania's blood boil and made him snap. He jumped over the front desk making several nurses gasp including the extremely rude one. Lithuania ran through the open door from the front office and started running aimlessly trough the white halls of the hospital that would make you go insane if you had to stay in them long enough.

As Lithuania kept running, he would occasionally here a "Stop him" or "There he is". He would then twist and turn into different hallways to escape the doctors or nurses. As he continued to run down a hall, he spotted a hoard of hospital staff gathered at the end of the hall. Lithuania swiftly turned to his right and entered into the door he opened.

White coats. Lithuania was face to face with many different doctors' white coats. "Perfect." He muttered as he heard doctors walk past the door. Lithuania grabbed a coat off of the hanger and started to take off his green jacket, leaving his white shirt and black tie on. He slipped on the white coat and examined himself in the mirror. Just right. With this disguise, he could sneak into where they were holding Poland.

Thankfully a map of the entire hospital was in the room so Lithuania studied where he had to go to get to the E.R. room.

"Left, right, right, left. Then room 325." Lithuania walked out of the room when he was sure that no doctors were out in the hallway and proceeded on with his plan.

**. . . **

Poland's eyes opened. He couldn't see anything.

"What's like, going on?" he asked out into the darkness. There was no reply. He looked around from every direction he could. Nothing.

"Hellooooo?" again nothing except the sound of his own voice echoing in the distance.

He started walking aimlessly and as he did so, Poland noticed strange faint lights coming from behind him. He turned around to face the lights and noticed them slowly progressing towards him.

Poland just shrugged it off and continued to walk in the same direction he was headed. The lights that were gradually coming closer suddenly shot past Poland as if he was standing on a platform between two trains rushing past him at the same time. Poland quickly looked around at the lights. Well, they weren't like lights actually…they were moving. The lights looked more like a film real and moving figures occupied every section. Poland looked left and right at everything sliding past him. Everything was cramming in his head making his head pound like drums. These are….these are…

"My memories."

**. . . **

Lithuania reached the door of the E.R. He could do this. Nobody had noticed his presence there which was wonderful for him. He slowly brought up his shaking hand to the door handle and turned the door open. The door squeaked open and Lithuania walked inside.

"I made it."

To his surprise, the E.R. was filled with more hallways instead of consisting of only one room. Lithuania walked through the dark, empty, hallways of the E.R. He proceeded down the halls, careful to glance through each window and doorway just in case Poland was there. An eerie silence filled the halls and the dimming lights were flickering on and off. The hair on Lithuania's neck started to prick up. These hallways reminded him of a horror movie and that Russia could appear out of nowhere just as a ghost does.

"What are you doing here?"

Lithuania froze dead in his tracks. His whole body tensed and his heart must have skipped a few beats. He slowly turned around and saw an old doctor also in a white coat. Lithuania's mind began to race. What was his excuse? He didn't have one. Where was Poland? Lithuania made quickly decision and went with it.

"I-I an E.R. doctor in-training and I'm supposed to be in the room where they're keeping a Polish blond-haired man, uh, Feliks." Lithuania lied.

The doctor carefully studied over Lithuania leaving his whole body tense and burning hot. "Oh, well I'm heading over there right now so you can come with me."

Lithuania gave out a relieved smile and gave a small, quiet, "Thank you."

**. . . **

"What's like, going on?!" Poland yelled out as his memories whizzed past him. He had his hands grasping his head as if it were to split into two in any second. He's head was killing him. Every memory that past him replayed itself in Poland's mind. He couldn't take it. Everything Poland had ever experienced. Joy, sorrow, fear, happiness, jealousness, depression, loneliness. His country's history and everything he'd suffered through. Being partitioned by Austria, Prussia, and Russia. Invasion by Germany. The camps. The horrific concentration camps. This was too much. He couldn't take it. Poland screamed out as each memory kept replaying.

The memories that ran past the Pole suddenly started flickering. Poland, wincing in pain, looked up at the memory reel that was flashing white. The excruciating pain had lifted and he removed his hands from his blonde head. The flashing suddenly stopped and Poland watched intently at what was happening. It was something he had never seen before. He stared at the new image appearing in the reel.

"_Ah, Mr. President. We'll be arriving in Russia shortly." A guy dressed in all black stated. _

"_Oh, alright." the President responded nodding his head._

"B-boss!" Poland exclaimed as he watched his boss traveling on an airplane headed towards Russia.

"_Hello everyone. This is your pilot speaking. We're starting our decent to the runway now. The weather seems to be normal and we should arrive there in about a half an hour." The intercom rang out in the plane._

Poland noticed his boss staring out the small window of the plane. Poland continued to watch the events that unfolded for almost a half an hour. The airplane was about due time to land.

"_DON'T YOU DARE TRY TO LAND THAT PLANE THERE! DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?!" somebody screamed into the pilot's earphones._

"_I can handle it. I've landed in much harder weather!" the pilot responded._

"_FOG IS COVERING THE RUNWAY! YOU CAN'T SEE A FOOT IN FRONT OF YOU! .!" the person on the other line yelled. The pilot of the airplane seemed to just ignore the person's yelling and screaming._

"W-what?!" Poland uttered in disbelief at what he was watching and hearing, not fully gripping onto what was happening. He attentively began watching the rest of what happened.

"_What is he doing?! There's fog everywhere!" a government official cried._

"_Don't worry. He knows what he's doing." Somebody calmly retorted._

"_Honey, how are you feeling?" the President's wife asked, as she laid her hand onto his._

"_Oh I'm fine. It's just—" _

Poland watched in sheer horror as he saw the plane dip down further into the fog cloud. The plane descended right on the treetops and this was just enough to take down the aircraft. Poland heard the screams and cries and the plane was completely ripped to shreds by the trees. He sat dumbfounded staring at the image of the airplane maimed and on fire. Poland gasped in shock as he saw that everyone on the aircraft, including his boss, was lying dead among the wreckage of the plane.

"S-S-Stop! Don't s-show me l-like anymore!!" Poland yelled as tears streamed down his face. He slumped down on his knees and held onto his shaking body. He understood what had happened and why he was in that unbearable pain. His boss, his government, his military. They were all dead. What was going to happen now that they were dead?!

The rays of light that showed the ghastly event suddenly disappeared and Poland was left in the darkness to weep for the lives lost.

**A/N: Wow. This has a lot of depth to it. Of course I just made up the scene with the President. Nobody will know what will happen because well, nobody survived to tell the tale. All 89 passengers on board lost their lives. It's such a tragic event. It's kinda hard to say "I hope you enjoyed this" because it's sad. So I'll just say thanks for reading.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Like a Phoenix**

**Chapter 6**

"Okay, looks good. You've got all the attire appropriately on. We can finally go in."

Now we were talking. Finally. This was the moment Lithuania was waiting for. He was so close. Just on the other side of those doors.

"Poland." Lithuania inaudibly muttered as the old doctor opened the doors into the operating room

**. . . **

He had no idea how long he had laid there weeping. The darkness that surrounded him was wrapped thick around him like a blanket, silencing all of his cries. The tragedy of the airplane crash replayed itself over and over in Poland's head. His heart ached and his chest burned. How much longer would this keep up? Would he feel like he was on fire forever?

The tears that streaked his face burned and his heart felt like it was burning. He grasped onto his shirt and gripped it tightly as the pain intensified. Poland tucked his legs into his chest on what felt like the floor in the pitch black darkness. He continued to clutch his shirt. This was unbearable. He had to of been on fire. And if he wasn't, it sure as hell felt like he was.

**"The plane was engulfed in flames you know." **Voices called out from the darkness.

"Stop."

**"All lives lost."**

"Stop!"

**"Your county is in turmoil." **

"STOP."

**"Are you even going to survive?"**

"STOP!"

Poland screamed as heat started to scorch his flesh. He opened his eyes to find that he, himself, was engulfed by bright yellow flames. Poland began to shout as the flames were burning his body.

**"Everyone's dead."**

He shut his eyes. The pain increased. He was going to die. He just knew it.

**"Poland will cease to exist."**

Poland let out a wailing scream. His heart burned like a billion ovens set on their highest temperatures. It seemed to him that his heart burned worse than his whole body. He couldn't do anything. He just laid there as the flames continued to consume him. Poland felt his chest being tugged as if something was pulling him up. He felt his knees come into contact with what seemed like the floor. Poland's screams became louder as he felt like his chest and heart were going to explode.

All of a sudden, a beautiful bright red ball of flames shot out from Poland's chest like an arrow. The pain that he felt in his chest had disappeared and he opened his eyes to find that he was still on fire, but he couldn't feel it. It was as if all the flames' heat had vanished. Yet they were still there on him.

Poland looked at the radiant red ball of fire that flew around against the darkness. It started to transform. Red wings emerged from the flames as well as a head. As it continued to spread apart, if flew around in circles. Poland watched in awe as a bird majestically twisted and turned as it too, was still in flames.

The flaming bird suddenly turned once again and flew directly towards the burning Pole. It floated over his head and a small smile started to unfurl on Poland's lips.

"F-Fawkes."

The bird hovered down to eye level with Poland and landed on something that was disguised by the darkness. Its radiant head titled and it's bright, emerald eyes stared at him. Poland knew this bird. It was a part of him. Throughout the partitions, the wars, the invasions, the concentration camps, this phoenix was there. And now it was here again.

The phoenix opened its beak but instead of chirping, the bird started to sing.

"**Oh sweet, young nation what is that pain**

**Which makes your green eyes pour out the rain**

**Look at you; you're covered in a flame**

**Yet with my tears, your flames be tame**

**Stand up and fight**

**With all your might**

**Listen close, and hear your country mourn**

**Stand up you must, and do what you've sworn**

**You've suffered a lot throughout the years**

**And stood up against your greatest fears**

**You've risen from your ashes and shown them all**

**Flag held high and pride up tall**

**So rise again and be born anew**

**The time has come for your people and you**

**Nothing will ever be the end**

**For you are 'Like a Phoenix' my friend.**

The phoenix closed its orange-lit beak as it finished its song. Poland gaped with wide green eyes as big at the bird. He didn't know what to say, or more like, he couldn't say anything. The phoenix's song replayed itself in Poland's head as he continued to stare at the bird. The bird let out a light chirp and flew onto Poland's shoulder. The bird then began forming tears in its eyes as it let out sorrowful cries.

Poland let out a pitiful smile as he stretched his still burning, charred hand to his shoulder to pet Fawkes. The phoenix's cries became louder and its tears began to fall and land on Poland's blazing body. Poland gasped as the tears hit his skin. The flames that were burning in those areas began to disappear and his burnt skin returned its normal, healthy state. After the flames were all gone and his charred body was cleansed. Fawkes let out a shrill squawk and quickly flew off of his shoulder.

"Fawkes! What's like, wrong?"

The bird commenced to aimlessly fly around in circles while continually screeching painful cries that could possibly make a deaf person hear. Poland tried to catch up to the flaming bird, but every time he got close, it would fly off again. All of a sudden, Fawkes pivoted in mid-air and dove right at Poland like a kamikaze. Poland was caught off guard as the phoenix collided with his chest causing him to stumble back. During the collision he felt the blazing bird dissipate into him. A hole had burned his shirt and his whole body seemed to be radiating with heat.

He looked around confused as a white light began to form on the horizon. Poland shielded his eyes as same white light whizzed past him causing him to disappear into it.

**. . . **

Lithuania stepped into the dark room. The only light in the room was stationed in the middle, shinning over huddled doctors working intently. He couldn't see him. He couldn't see Poland. Lithuania stood on his tip-toes, attempting to look over the busy doctors.

The old doctor had already started working along with the other operating doctors. Lithuania was left in the back unnoticed by the preoccupied doctors. As he continued to search, a doctor moved away from his position to go wash off his instrument he was using, to reveal Poland's lifeless face. Lithuania's hazel eyes widened and tears began to form.

"Poland" he mumbled. Lithuania's body began to quiver and move on its own. Each step quickened. His heart raced.

"Poland!" Lithuania called out, causing the doctors in the room to become alarmed. Lithuania launched himself onto Poland, continuously shouting his name, fearing that his friend was dead. Many doctors grabbed a hold of Lithuania, and started to pull him away from Poland. He didn't understand why they were separating him from Poland. Lithuania just continued to shout out Poland's name, not caring if he blew their identities or not.

Lithuania struggled against the doctors that were dragging him away. A sharp pain tickled in his neck but he ignored it as he pushed over a young doctor. He shouted even louder as he saw Poland beginning to stir on the operating table but Lithuania vision started to blur.

"POLAND! POLAND!"

He was getting tired and his vision became even worse. Lithuania's vision may have just been betraying him, but he could have sworn Poland just sat up. He was so sleepy. His eyes kept closing he tried calling out again and again but he started to drone out.

"Poland?" uttered Lithuania in one last effort.

"Liet?"

Lithuania's eyes widened and then he collapsed into the doctors that were holding him.

* * *

**A/N: OHOHOHO. I love the phoenix part. I'm so glad it turned out like that. **** But I still haven't even reached to the part with Iceland's fight yet. ****OTL****. Aw well. I'll get there eventually. This story is basically made up as I go so hopefully it won't drag on forever. What is this six chapters already? Geezums. Maybe I should just make the chapters longer than just three/four pages. ****.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Like a Phoenix**

**Chapter 7**

"Lieeeeeeet~"

Lithuania's eye twitched as a small moan escaped his lips.

"Wakey wakey~"

Lithuania slowly opened his eyes to find himself in an overly bright white-lit room. The light shone and blinded him, so he closed his eyes back shut.

"Lieeeet~ Come like, on."

Realizing that voice, Lithuania sat straight up only to inflict pain down his entire body. He quickly fell back and hit the soft, comfy, pillow.

"Oh, so you're like, totally awake now."

Lithuania tuned his head over to the right on the pillow to see Poland sitting up against the propped up hospital bed eating food out of a brown tray.

"P-Poland." He mumbled out of his numb mouth seemingly close to as if you go to a dentist and they have to numb one side of your mouth. "W-what…you…h-how?" he continually garbling, finding it hard to speak for some strange reason.

"Ah, well… I totally don't understand why you were dressed like a doctor, but the doctors who were totally like, holding you, stuck a totally gross tranquilizing needle in your neck, like to the max."

Poland took a bite out of his food, grimaced, and began to talk again while munching on the food in the process. "I guess you're still totally like, suffering from its effects. You've totally been asleep for a long time but you were so totally like, cute when you were asleep~!"

Lithuania simply started at the Pole, eating his hospital food. Flashbacks started to splash in his mind and everything started to fit together like a puzzle.

"Ewww~~This like, food is so totally like, nasty, like, to the max. I totally want to get some like, Paluszki like, now." Poland complained, glaring at his food like a three year old kid refusing to eat their vegetables.

Propping an arm underneath him, Lithuania slowly tried to lift himself up to sitting position. Since the tranquilizer was still in effect, this was easier said than done. But none the less, he managed to sustain his sitting position.

"Poland, w-what—"

All of a sudden a nurse opened the door and appeared from behind it. "Hey, there Feliks. I came to check up on you. Oh! I see you're awake too, Toris!"

"Like hey, Julie. We're doing like, totally fine." Poland responded.

"Is there anything I can get you two?" the nurse, Julie asked.

"Can you like, open the window? It's totally like, stuffy in here to the max."

"Sure, no problem!" Julie walked across the room towards the window and proceeded to open the window all the way. "Anything else?"

"Nope. That'll be totally like, it."

"Alright. I'll check up on you two again later."

"Okay, see you like, then." Poland waved Julie goodbye as she walked out of the hospital room closing the door behind her.

"P-Poland, w-what h-happwened?" Lithuania asked as soon as Julie closed the door. Poland dropped the food he was eating and turned to look out the window. A gentle spring gust of wind blew through the window ruffling his blonde hair (since he was closest to the window).

"I-I saw on t-the news. Your b-boss…a-and e-everyone…" Lithuania stuttered. Poland continued to stare out the window, his back faced to Lithuania. A lump formed in Poland's throat.

"I saw it, Liet. I saw the whole thing happen! How and why it did! I saw the whole thing." Poland choked, trying to hold back his tears.

"H-how?" Lithuania asked confused.

"I-I don't like, know. I was in a dark place. Nothing was there. But then, I saw all of my memories I've ever had." Poland explained, clearly remembering what had happened. Lithuania was confused but decided to let Poland finish. "And then I like, saw one I had never seen. Which was the…the…"

Lithuania gazed at his friend who stopped talking. Poland's shoulders were shaking and his head was hanging down. Lithuania could hear the small sobs that he was making.

"P-Poland…" He would have gone over to comfort his friend if only that damn tranquilizer wasn't still in effect, making it impossible to move.

"…I caught on fire too." Poland said out of nowhere after a moment of silence except for his sobbing, filled the room.

"W-what! H-how? Awe you awright?"

"Fawkes came out of my like, chest." Poland continued not answering the questions thrown out by the worried Lithuanian. Lithuania's eyes widened as Poland finally turned away from the open window he was staring at.

'_Fawkes? Why did he—He hasn't shown up since…since when Poland was in the concentration camps!' _ Lithuania thought to himself.

"You know what he like, said to me?"

"What?"

"He told me these words, Liet. These exact words: "Oh sweet, young nation what is that pain Which makes your green eyes pour out the rain Look at you; you're covered in a flame Yet with my tears, your flames be tame Stand up and fight With all your might Listen close, and hear your country mourn Stand up you must, and do what you've sworn You've suffered a lot throughout the years And stood up against your greatest fears You've risen from your ashes and shown them all Flag held high and pride up tall So rise again and be born anew The time has come for your people and you Nothing will ever be the end For you are 'Like a Phoenix' my friend."" Poland repeated the words that were sung to him to Lithuania.

Lithuania's mind went blank. He didn't realize his mouth hung open and his eyes were as wide as a plate. He didn't know what to say. Poland closed his eyes and turned back around to face the window.

"I don't know what to do, Liet. What can I do? My boss is dead! The military is weakened! The government is diminished! My people, they're suffering! I'm stuck in like, a stupid hospital! What should I do?"

More sobbing. He couldn't stand it. He couldn't stand to see Poland like this. Never again. After the concentration camps, Lithuania made a promise to himself that he would never see Poland like that again. Lithuania tried moving again. He strained his body against what seemed to be like a million pounds pushing down on him. He successfully moved one leg half way off of his hospital bed. Lithuania forced his other leg to follow the first one which ended successfully.

His feet hit the ground. Focused on Poland, not on what it would be like to walk again, Lithuania stood up on his legs which felt like they were asleep. He felt extreme pressure build up in his legs which was probably blood flowing down through them. Lithuania tried to take a step forward but ending up falling over onto the hard tiled floor.

"Dammit!" he muttered under his breath. Poland continued to cry as Lithuania tried to pick himself up. After several attempts, Lithuania managed to stand back up. He carefully took a step forward. Getting the feeling back in his legs, he cautiously made his way towards Poland's hospital bed.

"I can feel them like, crying. The whole nation." He spoke in a hushed whisper in between cries. Lithuania grabbed onto Poland's shoulder and spun him around. Poland was turned to face Lithuania's apprehensive face. He then sat down on his bed and wrapped his arms around the Pole. Poland sat there unsure at first, but then buried his head into the Lithuanian's soft shoulder.

Lithuania held Poland tightly. He was going to be there for him this time. He wouldn't have to suffer through this alone. He could feel Poland's hands grasp the back of shirt and feel warm tears soaked through his shirt.

**. . . **

He didn't know how long they both sat there. Poland seemed to have been done crying. Either that or he ran out of tears to shed. Lithuania let go of Poland and asked how he was doing.

Poland didn't say anything but responded by nodding his head. The nurse, Julie did walk back in to check in on them both, but Lithuania sent her away.

"Liet?" Poland asked quietly, his voice shaky.

"Yes?"

"We need to have a funeral. You'll be like, there. Right?"

"Of course I would. I wouldn't miss it for the world." Lithuania responded, finding the tranquilizer's effects had worn off and that he could speak normally again.

"Thank you, Liet. Thank you so much." Poland thanked, letting out a half-hearted smile.

"No problem. That's what friends do. They support each other. You've supported me plenty of times before. So now it's my turn."

Poland started to chuckle lightly and he closed his eyes. "Do you mind if I like, sleep for a bit. I'm totally beat."

"No go ahead. You need rest. I'll get off so you can rest." Lithuania said as he started to stand up from Poland's bed.

"No don't!"

Lithuania turned and looked at Poland with a puzzled expression on his face.

"Can you like, stay there? It'll….It'll help me sleep." Poland explained, shifting his eyes away sheepishly.

Lithuania let out a small smile and said, "Sure. I'll stay." With this, Poland comfortably lay down against the bed and slowly drifted into sleep.

**. . . **

"So is everyone and their bosses planning on attending the funeral then?" England asked everyone who was sitting in the world meeting.

"Yes. I was aru." China responded.

"Me too. It's such a tragedy." France replied looked at the polished table.

Other countries nodded their heads and responded while England wrote down the names of those coming or not.

**. . . **

_'Stupid, Norway! Stupid, Denmark! I don't need them. Of course I don't need them. I can handle things on my own without anybody. I'm always left out anyways. It doesn't matter to anyone.' _Iceland sat his lonely island by his lonesome self staring out into the frozen sea.

"I don't matter to anyone."

* * *

**A/N: FINALLY I'M GETTING SOMEWHERE. ICELAND~~~Yaaay! Yeah, I still have no idea what's gonna happen with that story line. ****XD ** **Well I'm glad I got done with this chapter. Goodness me, I finished writing this at 12:45am. I need to go to bed. Thanks for reading! ****:D**


	8. Chapter 8

**Like a Phoenix**

**Chapter 8**

Poland sat on a stone wall staring out across the grassy plain. He held his arms tightly around his legs that were pressed up against his chest. The wind started to pick up, blowing his blond hair in front of his face. But he continued to stare. For some odd reason, Poland just couldn't accept it. He couldn't accept the plane crash. Even if he did see it happen.

Poland tightened his grip around his legs as he brought them closer to him. He rested his head down onto his knees and continued to stare at the dancing grass plain.

"Why is it that the grass is like, dancing?" Poland murmured to himself.

"Feliks, sir?" responded a voice from behind.

Poland slowly turned his head to its side to stare at whoever spoke out. It was his boss's twin brother. He blinked and turned his gaze back towards the dancing field.

"It's totally not fair." Poland sullenly remarked.

The boss's brother walked over and sat down next to Poland on the cold stone wall. He sighed and looked over at the grim boy. He was a mess. Underneath his green eyes lay dark circles and his face was a ghostly pale. Even after being released from the hospital he was a wreck.

"I know how you feel, Feliks. Believe me. He…he was a great President. A great leader. A great friend…and a great...a great…brother." The twin finished.

Poland shifted his head to face his boss's brother.

"Of course I'd be crying right now…but I just don't have any more tears to shed. We…we were so close. I…I loved him so much! And now…now it just feels like a part of me is…is missing…"

Poland turned his head back out to the grass field. He closed his eyes and began to speak. "I know it's hard…especially for you. But I like, know your pain. And everyone else's in the like, country. I can feel them and all of their sorrow. It fills me with despair and drains every like, happy thought out of my mind. It hurts. My heart. That's…what hurts the most."

The boss's twin brother had his full attention focused on the boy. He took in everything he said and tried to image the feeling of the country's sorrow on your shoulders. Poland turned his head back to the twin and weakly smiled.

"But you know what? A very dear like, friend of my mind said that we've risen from our like, ashes and to hold our flag high with pride so we can be born anew. Now, I've been thinking about this for the longest time now. And it like, totally made me realize something."

"And what would that be?"

"That together, united under our flag, we can totally overcome anything the world like, throws at us. And looking back in the years…I would totally say that to be like, true."

"I'd have to agree with you on that, Feliks."

Poland turned his attention back to the dancing grass weeds. The boss's brother stood up from the stone wall and started to walk back up the hill that led to the stone wall.

"How are things coming along for the like, funeral?" Poland shouted out, not bothering to turn around.

The twin brother spun around and his face softened. He thought for a few seconds before saying, "All the preparations are just about finished…I'll take it that you contacted the other countries and their bosses?"

Poland simply nodded his head and remembered back to him sitting next to a pink phone.

_"Poland, I'm so sorry, aru. It's so tragic, aru. My best wishes to you and your country and I will be attending the funeral, aru."_

_"Thanks, China. I'll like, see you there then." Poland hung up his pink phone and sullenly started at the list of phone numbers. He sighed and dialed another number._

_"Hello? Am I like, speaking to England?"_

_"Yes. May I ask whom is speaking?"_

_"It's Poland."_

_"Poland! Oh my! How are you doing? Is everything alright?"_

_"Everything's fine. I just like, called to see if you were coming to the funeral service."_

_"O-oh! Of course. I will be attending."_

_"Thanks, England. I'll like, see you there then."_

_"Alright. Good day to you…and try to get some rest, Poland."_

_Poland hung up the phone and rested his head on his desk. This was pure torture. He didn't want to talk to anybody at the moment. His body ached and his heart was filled with despair. Poland looked out his window as he dialed another number. _

The twin brother turned around and walked back up the hill disappearing out of sight. Poland closed his eyes as he let the grassy field dance around him.

**. . . **

"ARGH! I can't believe Norway and Denmark did that! My own brother! And what happened to me? Oh I don't know…maybe get betrayed!" Iceland screamed out as he paced back and forth around the seashore. His puffin stood on top of a rock staring curiously with its black beady eyes at Iceland. The silver-haired boy ran over and punched the rock the puffin sat on causing the bird to squawk out in surprise. Iceland quickly recoiled his hand and winced in pain. He opened his purple eyes to find out his knuckles were scrapped up leaving a dark crimson red in place of the freshly torn skin.

Iceland turned around holding his bloody hand tightly against his chest and leaned against the rock he punched. He slowly slid down until he met the ground underneath him.

"Why did this have to happen to me?" Iceland choked, trying to hold back the hot tears he felt behind his eyes.

"Why am I….the one who has to deal with this….by myself….Why? WHY?" Iceland shouted as hot tears streamed down his cold face. All of a sudden a loud sound burst through the air, popping Iceland's eardrums. Iceland quickly stood up as he felt the ground shake under him. Tears continued to fall down his face as he stared off into the distance inland. He squinted his purple eyes only to see a red-ish yellow flame burst into the air. Iceland gaped and realized that his volcanoes were erupting.

"D-did I cause this?" Iceland questioned himself. He wiped off the tears on his face with his brown jacket sleeve and started running towards the volcanoes. His puffin squawked again and jumped off the rock following after his running master.

"Not good. Not good at all!" Iceland reached the base of the largest volcano. He looked around and realized it wasn't just one of them. It was a couple of different ones going off at the same time.

"Get out of here, sonny! The ash is going to smother you if you stay here!" An old lady yelled out behind Iceland. He turned around to face her.

"A-ash? W-what?" Iceland asked confused.

"Look around you boy! That grey cloud covering the entire sky is an ash cloud! And look! It's beginning to rain ash! Quickly! There's no time! Follow me to my home or else you'll be killed!" The old lady shouted, motioning for Iceland to follow.

Iceland was confused and frightened as dark ash started falling from the sky. What exactly did he just do? He scooped up his puffin and ran after the old woman towards her house.

**. . . **

"Alfred, this is Norway's boss. I want you to escort him around New York City for the time being. He'll be staying here until the Polish President's funeral. Understand?" America's boss explained.

"Yup. But…if Norway's boss is here…then where's Norway?" America asked confused.

"Norway stayed back in his country. It's much easier for him to stay there and have his boss come over here. Now… I trust you'll escort him properly, Alfred?"

"Yeah! No problem! Just leave it to me, boss!" America grinned. Norway's boss held out his hand and America took it and shook it. "You can count on me, sir!"

"Alright. Let's go. I've had a very long flight and I'm just ready to relax in my hotel." Norway's boss complained.

"You got it!" America exclaimed, following the boss out the door.

"Alfred, you had better not mess this up…." America's boss muttered under his breath.

* * *

**A/N: OH GOD THIS IS LATE I'M SO SORRY. I'm so lazy. Please forgive me. BUT BUT BUT. YAY ICELAND. Okay so it's probably really confusing with Iceland right now but just go along with it. It'll all make sense later on in the story. So yeah….well thanks for reading! :D**


	9. Chapter 9

**Like a Phoenix**

**Chapter 9**

The silver haired boy ran his brown jacket sleeve across the cracked frosted window, wiping away the smeared fingerprints. His gaze hardened as even more thick clouds of grayish-black ash rained down.

"How did this happen?" He asked the elderly woman sitting behind him, tending to her cats. The old woman turned her gaze over to the boy, who's been at the window every since they entered the shattered shack the old woman calls home.

"Well, I'm not sure myself, dear. But all I know is that if this keeps up, then we'll be in a heap load of trouble." She said. "Why don't you come sit down? It won't do you any good if you just keep standing there."

Iceland sighed and twisted around. He walked over to the chair the old woman was patting, careful not to trip over the loose floor boards. He took a seat and his black puffin flew up on the back of his wooden chair. The old woman stroked her purring cat, having cat hair flying everywhere. She fixed her gaze over at him as he couldn't help but stare out the cracked window.

"Why do you keep looking out that window, sonny?" The old lady asked curiously.

"It's hard to explain. But…I'm somehow…I just feel connected to the land…and I dread something terrible is going to happen because of this." Iceland explained, careful not to slip out anything that would say he was the actual country.

The lady slowly closed her eyes and sighed. "Is that so? Say, I haven't caught what your name was."

Iceland turned his attention to the woman and stared at her with his purple eyes. "Uh…well I don't….don't really have a…have a name. But…I guess you can just call me…Ice."

"Oh? Don't have a name? How sad. Are you an orphan?"

"Not exactly." Iceland shifted his gaze back to the raining ash as he felt a pang of guilt and anxiety for what could come of this.

**. . . **

"Everything is in order, Feliks sir!" a man dressed in black stated.

Poland lifted his head and smiled. "Hey, like thanks, man."

The funeral was going to take place in two days and now all of the arrangements were sorted out. They were going to broadcast the funeral service all across the nation and now that those preparations were in order, Poland was finishing up with some paperwork that he hadn't gotten to since he was in the hospital for quite some time.

"You're like, dismissed." Poland said, not bothering to look up as he signed another paper. The man exited the room as he finished his signature.

Ever since the plane wreck, Poland had been thinking about what went wrong. He had heard a lot of gossip about how it could have been intentional because they were going to Russia after all. Since the Polish and Russian relations still haven't improved, a lot of people were wary of this and that they think it was a planned assassination attempt.

Poland knew that they crashed because of the fog, but it could have been intentional too. What also makes the situation even more suspicious is that Russia had called Poland a few days after the crash, saying that his boss would be investigating the matter. This had worried Poland knowing that something was up. But he couldn't figure out why.

He snapped out of his thoughts as he grabbed another stack of papers.

"This is so totally like, boring."

All of a sudden, the pink phone on his desk began to ring. Poland reached over and answered it with a simple hello.

"Poland, this is England. My boss and I are not going to be able to make it to the funeral. My sincerest apologies."

Poland almost dropped the phone. "Wait, like why?"

"One of Iceland's volcanoes just erupted and the wind just started to blow the ash over into my country. Airplanes can't fly in the dense ash clouds and if they do, the engines shut completely off, sending the airplane crashing into the ground." England explained.

"O-oh. I-I like, see then." Poland replied into the phone.

"Once again, my apologies. But alas, I have to go. There seems to be an accident involving the ash I must reside to. Farewell, Poland. And good luck."

Click. The line went dead. Poland just sat there gripping the phone tightly, his knuckles turning white.

"_Just when things were like, running so smoothly!"_ Poland thought. Suddenly a cold sweat ran down his back making him get goose bumps. What if the wind keeps blowing the ash? It could affect the other countries as well! Then, nobody would be coming to the funeral!

A loud bang filled the room, making Poland jump. He looked to see the door had swung open and the man dressed in black appeared in the door way, a ghastly expression filled his face.

"Feliks, sir! I just got a report that one of the volcanoes on Iceland erupted and is spewing ash everywhere!"

"I know. Arthur just called and like, informed me that he can't come. The ash is covering all of like, England." Poland responded. The man looked to see the phone still in Feliks' hand. Poland noticed him staring, and put the phone back on the home base.

"Also, I've got reports of-" Ring Ring Ring. The phone began to ring, interrupting the man in black. Poland answered the pink phone again and the man listened careful to what Poland was saying.

"Wha-? You too, Nikolai?...Huh? How do you not know if your boss can like, make it?... In America?...Oh….What do you like, mean Berwald isn't either?…. Oh, I like, see…Alright, bye." Poland hung up the phone and looked at the man in black.

"Norway isn't attending. I don't know about his like, boss. He's in America right now. But Berwald and his boss aren't like, attending either. It's like, the same reason with the like, ash." Poland explained.

"Sir! This isn't good!" the man in black obviously exclaimed.

_"Of course it like, isn't! The ash must like, be spreading quicker than I like, thought."_ Poland thought alarmingly.

"Feliks, sir?"

"Go get like, people to like, investigate how fast the ash is moving and like, get people to answer like, any call that comes in, to the max!" Poland stated, panic at the tip of his voice.

"Yes, sir." The man in black left leaving Poland uneasy.

**. . . **

"So Alfred, do you know of any good restaurants around here?" Norway's boss curiously, not bothering to look at America.

"Yeah! There's a bunch of good ones!" America exclaimed. "You could always try—"

Norway's boss reached into his pocket and pulled out his vibrating cell phone out of his suit's pocket as America continued to ramble on about different restaurants that consisted of different fattening and greasy foods.

"Yeah?...Really?...Ash huh."

"Ash? I don't think there's any restur—" America immediately shut up when he saw that the boss wasn't talking to him, but into a cell phone.

"Oh….I understand. Alright. Bye." Norway's boss hung up his phone and tucked it back into the pants pocket. He sighed heavily and started to walk the opposite way they were previously going. America had a puzzled look on his face and sauntered after the boss.

"Is…everything alright, sir?"

"It's none of your business. Now just take me to your boss!" Norway's boss demanded.

_"What's with this guy?"_America thought to himself as he took the lead. They both walked through the bustling city streets of New York City towards the hotel where America's boss was temporarily staying.

After about a half an hour of walking, they finally reached the entrance to the Hyatt Regency. America had called his boss ahead of time to tell him that Norway's boss wanted to see him. The elevator ride was long and uncomfortable as people crammed in to get a free ride. When they got onto the 27th floor, America tried to ask what the phone call was about, but Norway's boss simply ignored him.

The boss ran his fingers through is silky, slicked back black hair as he knocked on America's boss's hotel room. America's boss opened the door and politely invited him in. America followed behind. That is until Norway's boss insisted that this was a private matter and that someone like him should not hear such an important matter. Having no choice in the matter, America's boss shooed America out of the room.

_"Someone like me, huh? Who does that guy think he is?" _America thought angrily. He really wanted to hear what was so important. What if it was some kind of world crisis! What if Russia became the Soviet Union again! America shook his head and leaned against the small hallway of the 27th floor.

"Room service." said a hotel worker, only a couple doors down from where America was leaning. The worker disappeared into the room and America's eyes caught on something. His mouth suddenly allowed a devious smile to spread across his face, as if he were the Cheshire Cat. America quickly walked over to the dinner cart the hotel worker left in the hallway. He quickly snagged a glass cup and strolled back to where he was last, as if nothing happened.

America waited impatiently until the hotel worker disappeared from sight. After he left, America pulled out the glass cup that he stole out of his bomber jacket. He smiled and looked back and forth between the cup and his boss's hotel door.

_"Curiosity killed the cat, you know." _a voice in the back of America's head informed him.

_"And satisfaction brought it back."_ America smugly thought back. He placed the glass cup up on the door and he positioned his ear against the bottom of the glass.

"So about the phone call I received…It was from Nikolai."

"What was it about? Did something happen?"

"As a matter of fact something did."

This was what America wanted to hear. He pressed his ear harder to the glass to try and hear their soft quiet voices louder if that was possible.

"Is it something important?"

"Well, Nikolai explained the situation to me. Apparently a couple of the volcanoes on Iceland erupted and is continuously spewing ash, even as we speak. The wind has carried the ash across to Europe and is affecting the air traffic. England has shut off all of their airports because of the ash. The ash not only has affected England, but is now affecting my country. The airports in Norway are now closed. Leaving me trapt here."

America's eyes widened. Ash was spewing all over Europe? He had never heard of such a thing! Did that mean it could also travel over to America? America snapped out of his thoughts as he heard his boss begin to speak.

"But, if the volcanoes keep spewing ash, then other European nations will be shrouded in the ash as well!"

"Exactly. And if that's the case then nobody will be attending the Polish President's funeral."

America's mouth hung open as apprehension filled his face. _"N-Nobody would attend the funeral? But that can't be!"_

"Oh I see. That is true. Devastating, but true. We'll have to wait and see though. If the ash reaches Poland and if they close their airports then we will have to inform them that we cannot make it. Alfred would have to call Feliks then."

"Nikolai has already informed Feliks that he is not going to be there. Whatever happens, happens and we should just deal with it."

"You're absolutely right. So in the mean time, I hope this doesn't inconvenience you at all. I'll have Alfred help you with whatever you need."

"Of course this inconveniences me! I'll have to stay here longer now! And I don't need that buffoon to take care of me!"

America clenched his fight into a tight ball. Man he hated Norway's boss. He didn't do anything but help Norway's boss and what does he get in return? Insulted right in front of his face. Well not really his face…but you know what he means.

"I'm sorry he acts that way. But he's the best we've got. I'll try to get him to behave."

The door handle suddenly twisted and the hotel door of America's boss sudden opened, causing America to lose his balance and fall over onto the carpeted entrance of the hotel room.

"Alfred! What we're you doing?" His boss angrily asked staring with beady eyes at America.

America looked up at his boss's furious face and replied, "I-I wasn't doing a-anything, I swear!"

"It's obvious that he was listening to our conversation." Norway's boss stated. He kicked the glass cup out of America's hand and walked out of the room, stepping on America's fingers in the process.

America recoiled his hand into his chest and held back from yelling out in pain.

"_This guy is an asshole! He must really hate me for just trying to help him!" _America thought. His boss grabbed his shoulders and helped pull him up from the floor. His boss sighed and patted America's shoulder.

"Listen, Alfred. We all know this guy doesn't like you. But you still have to escort him. And don't do anything to get revenge on him. Got it? I know you don't like the idea of it, and neither do I to tell you the truth. But please, bear with it alright. At least until we have this whole ash crisis figured out." America's boss explained.

"I got it, boss. I'll do my best. After all, I am a hero!" America explained, ignoring the pain still lingering in his fingers. America ran down the hall to catch up Norway's boss.

America's boss merely chuckled and said, "Good luck, Alfred. You're gonna need it."

* * *

**A/N: Alright. In case people get confused. Nikolai is a human name I used for Norway. I hope it wasn't too confusing. Another thing to clear up. Although Poland's boss was the actual boss in real life, America and Norway's bosses are completely made up characters. It is a little confusing but bear with it. I have no idea how their real bosses act and I didn't want to make Norway's real boss an asshole. Thanks for bearing with me and thanks for reading so far~! **


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